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Facilitating Safety, Fostering Growth

Do you ever feel like you're addressing the same workplace challenges over and over again, yet the results don’t seem to stick? Often, it's tough to pinpoint what’s driving these recurring issues. The key to solving them might lie in understanding a hidden yet essential factor: psychological safety . Psychological safety is about creating an environment where employees feel comfortable being themselves, voicing concerns, and taking risks without fear of embarrassment or retal

Most professionals are taught how to manage. Far fewer are supported in learning how to truly lead. Managing people focuses on structure, processes, and outcomes. It ensures deadlines are met and responsibilities are clear. Leading people, however, requires something deeper. It calls for awareness, presence, and the ability to navigate emotions, both your own and those of others, especially when pressure is high. That distinction has never been more important. Management keep

Have You Noticed How Some People Are Flying Off the Handle Lately? Big reactions. Constant tension. A sense that chaos is creeping into meetings, emails, and everyday interactions. This is not a sudden loss of professionalism or courtesy. It is what happens when sustained stress, uncertainty, and unresolved personal strain finally show up at work. When pressure stays high for too long, emotional regulation becomes harder. Patience shortens. Communication sharpens. Small issue

2025 didn’t break people... it exposed the systems that were breaking them. Across industries, workplaces asked people to function like machines while judging them for responding like humans. Overload became normal. Resilience was praised while support quietly disappeared. People were encouraged to “take care of themselves” inside systems that steadily drained their capacity. Then burnout showed up. Patience ran thin. Engagement faded. Some people left. Others stayed and went

Because 2025 was a year that needed us... desperately. The world is carrying a lot right now. So are our workplaces.  Burnout, moral distress, compassion fatigue, grief, and constant change became the backdrop of daily work. At Silver Linings, we spent the year supporting organizations through emotional intelligence development, trauma-informed leadership, and appreciative inquiry strategic planning. We adapted constantly to meet what the workforce was actually facing often i

We are proud to share highlights from Debra’s recent role as a guest speaker at the Resiliency Summit for Animal Professionals, hosted by GRAZE (Growing Resiliency for Aquarium and Zoo Employees). This annual virtual gathering brings together zoo, aquarium, and animal care professionals from around the world to focus on resilience in a field where stress, loss, and emotional fatigue are part of the work. During her presentation, Debra spoke to the critical role trauma-informe

You walk into a room, virtual or in person, and something feels off. You’re here to lead, to guide, to support. But then someone pushes back. Maybe sharply. Maybe emotionally. Maybe in front of everyone. You freeze. You stumble. You react in a way that doesn’t feel like your best self. Maybe you push forward anyway. Maybe you shut it down. Maybe you make a joke and try to keep things going. Inside, something shifts. You feel it. And so does the group. If you’ve ever left a se

Every month, the Facilitators’ Collective gathers a thoughtful group of facilitators, trainers, supervisors, and leaders who share a common goal: creating spaces where people feel engaged, grounded, and genuinely glad they showed up. This month’s conversation was a perfect example of what makes this community special. We focused on a deceptively simple question that every meeting runner eventually faces: how do you open a session well? Not with something awkward or performati

If you’ve been feeling unusually tired, irritable, or emotionally numb lately, it might not just be the holiday season wearing you down. For many professionals and caregivers, these feelings are signs of compassion fatigue , the quiet, cumulative exhaustion that comes from caring deeply for others without adequate rest or support. Compassion fatigue can affect anyone in a helping role, including supervisors carrying their team’s stress, educators managing classrooms full of e

As the year winds down, many of us find ourselves running on empty long before the holiday season begins. Projects are closing, reports are due, inboxes are overflowing, and somewhere in the middle of it all you are expected to stay calm, present, and available to everyone who needs you. It is no wonder so many professionals step into December already exhausted. But resilience does not come from pushing harder. It comes from pausing with purpose. Recognizing and Rebalancing C

The holidays often arrive wrapped in warmth and hope, yet for many people, especially those in caregiving roles, they also bring a quiet heaviness. Connection and reflection sit right alongside exhaustion. The pressure to meet year-end deadlines, support others emotionally, and show up for family can leave even the most grounded among us feeling worn down. Not long ago, someone told me: “I spend my days caring for others and caring for animals… but by the time I get home, I’m

Yesterday, I had the privilege of facilitating the New York State Division of Employment and Income Support Programs (EISP)  Staff Development Day in Albany. Under the inspiring leadership of Deputy Commissioner Valerie Figueroa, nearly 300 dedicated staff gathered in one room. The atmosphere was energized, hopeful, and deeply committed to strengthening the way this division serves New Yorkers. Our purpose for the day was both simple and powerful: to reinforce cross-bureau co

For years, organizations have treated leadership as a business function focused on performance, productivity, and results. But the data tells a much more urgent story: leadership is a public health issue. Workplace stress is now linked to over 120,000 deaths each year in the United States  and contributes to billions in healthcare costs and lost productivity. These are not abstract numbers. They represent real people whose health is directly shaped by how leaders show up ever

As we pause this Veterans Day to honor the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of those who have served, it is also important to consider an often overlooked dimension of service: the invisible wounds of combat and the challenges of transitioning into civilian and workplace life. At Silver Linings International, we believe that true appreciation for veterans includes creating workplaces that recognize trauma, support resilience, and foster growth. Many veterans return from ser

Over the past two days, we wrapped up our Cultivating Emotional Intelligence  course with the Jacksonville Partnership for Child Health  and I’m leaving both inspired and deeply grateful. What made this experience so meaningful was not just the curriculum itself. It was watching an entire team lean into the work together with intention and openness. Emotional intelligence is not a “nice to have.” It is the foundation of a healthy, trauma aware, and compassionate workplace cul

One of the greatest gifts we can offer in supervision is genuine curiosity. Not to fix. Not to control. But to understand. Curiosity is the heartbeat of meaningful leadership. It reminds us that connection comes not from having the answers, but from asking the right questions with openness and respect. Cultural humility takes that idea one step further. It acknowledges that we never fully “arrive” in our understanding of others. Instead, it calls us into a lifelong practice o

I just wrapped up a strategic planning session in North Carolina with a small but mighty group working on youth suicide prevention and awareness . It reminded me of one of my favorite quotes by Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has." This group truly embodied that spirit. They came together with deep commitment and compassion not with all the answers, but with a shared p

I’ve been thinking a lot about strategic planning lately. Over the years, I’ve facilitated planning sessions with nonprofits, community-based organizations, and government agencies, and I keep seeing the same thing happen. Every year, teams pour hours into retreats filled with sticky notes, big ideas, and good intentions. Everyone leaves inspired… and then nothing changes. The cycle usually breaks down in familiar ways. Too often, teams jump straight into goal setting before

Each October, ADHD Awareness Month invites us to learn, reflect, and take meaningful action. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects millions of children and adults worldwide, yet misconceptions and stigma persist. Too often, ADHD is misunderstood as simple distraction or restlessness. In truth, it is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects focus, impulse control, and regulation, traits that can present both challenges and strengths across the lifespan. Aw

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of spending the day in Jacksonville, FL with the incredible team at the Partnership for Child Health , leading a training on Trauma Informed Motivational Interviewing . The energy in the room was remarkable, with professionals deeply committed to supporting youth and young adults navigating some of life’s toughest challenges. Their openness and dedication reminded me why this work matters so deeply. Motivational Interviewing (MI) by its